Machine for knitting plate and float patterns



y 1965 H. E. CRAWFORD ETAL 3,181,313

MACHINE FOR KNITTING PLATE AND FLOAT PATTERNS Filed Sept. 8; 1961 12 Sheets-Sheet 1 ml 50 H W I 28 40 00 O D 42s 11 a 11 c B. Q 1 w j 15 W5 -12 1 fl g/ 5 v an 5 I 'g-' I I55 97 9o i us 51 k as q loe, 1L2 20 I E J INVENTORS:

HERMAN E1 CRAWFOEB and JAMES -H- WELLE ATTORNEY 5 y 4, 1965 H. E. CRAWFORD ETAL 3,181,313

MACHINE FOR KNITTING PLATE AND FLOAT PATTERNS Filed Sept. 8. 961 12 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS: :1 7:2 HERMAN E. CRAWF RD 2m JAMES H. WELLS ATTORNEYS y 4, 1965 H. E. CRAWFORD ETAL 3,181,313

MACHINE FOR KNITTING PLATE AND FLOAT PATTERNS Filed Sept. 8, 1961 12 Sheets-Sheet 3 5 50o z84fl7 B 51 C a Q 252 A 22* o I 5 I I] ass g 187 184 g 2e 87 22 8b 3&5 255 2590. i 255m, 49 Q 208 o 2 Z59 92 us 5 Q 4' 291 547 m 1 a f j 23 599 292. I04 $43 2o EH04 i El 22 INVENTORS:

HERMAN E. CRAWFORD and I JAMEs -H. WELLS ATTORNEY S M y 1965 H. E. CRAWFORD ETAL 3,181,313

MACHINE R KNITTIIILIG PLATE AND FLOAT PATTERNS Filed Sept. 8, 1961 12 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR S HERMAN E. CRAW Folzb ly-7 2nd JAMEf; +1. WELLS ATTORNEYS y 1965 H. E. CRAWFORD ETAL 3,181,313

MACHINE FOR KNITTING PLATE AND FLOAT PATTERNS Filed Sept. 8, 1961 12 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR5" 14 HERMAN E: CEAW'FOEbQ/K) JAMEs +i. WELLS hmxw+m l ATTORNEYS y 4,1965 H. E. CRAWFORD ETAL 3,181,313

MACHINE FOR KNITTING PLATE AND FLOAT PATTERNS Filed Sept. 8. 1961 12 Sheets-Sheet ,6

F 12 INVENTORS+ *HERMAN E. CRAWFORD and JAMES H. WELL$ azmbanAm+mg i ATTORNEYS y I965 7H. E. CRAWFORD ETAL 3,181i'313 A H FOR KNITTING PLATE AND FLOAT PATTERNS Filed Sept. 8, 1961 N 2 Sheets-Sheet 7 INVENTORS W A c m M im W EM H m Wm MACHINE FOR KNITTING PLATE AND FLOAT PATTERNS May 4, 1965 H. E. CRAWFORD ETAL Filed Sept. 8. 1961 12 Sheets-Sheet 8 May 4, 1965 H. E. CRAWFORD ETAL 3,181,313

MACHINE FOR KNITTING PLATE AND FLOAT PATTERNS 1 WWW En mmw & 8%

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J VX/ 4 0w Nmm mam mmvm May 4, 1965 H. E. CRAWFORD ETAL 3,131,313

MACHINE FOR KNITTING PLATE AND FLOAT PATTERNS Filed Sept. 8, 1961 12 Sheets-Sheet 1O z24 \E INVENTORS'.

HERMAN E: QRAWFORI) and ATTORNEY5 MACHINE FOR KNITTING PLATE AND FLOAT PATTERNS 2 Sheets-Sheet 11 H. E. CRAWFORD ETAL May 4, 1965 Filed Sept. 8, 1961 y 1955 H. E. CRAWFORD ETAL 3,181,313

ACH FOR KNITTING PLATE AND FLOAT PATTERNS Filed Sept. 8. 1961 1,2 Sheets-Sheet l2 INVENTORs: HERMAN E. CRAWFORD and JANE-s H. WELLS Bynrm wm ATTORNEYS United States Patent Oil" 3,181,313 MAQHlNE FUR IKNETIENG PLATE AND FLOAT PATTERNS Herman E. Crawford and James H. Wells, Kernersville,

N.C., assignors to H. E. Crawford Company, lino, Kernersville, N.C., a corporation of North Carolina Filed Sept. 8, 1961, Ser. No. 136,903 4 Claims. (Cl. 66-42) This invention relates generally to improvements in circular knitting machines of the type adapted to knit hosiery and the like and more particularly to improvements in a machine of the type adapted to knit patterns in hosiery by forming stitch loops of a ground or body yarn on all of the needles while selectively feeding plating yarns to selected needles and floating the plating yarn inside of the non-selected needles to thereby form plate and float patterns.

It is well known to knit patterns in hosiery by knitting a body yarn in every Wale and knitting a single pattern yarn in plated relationship with the body yarn in selected wales while floating the pattern yarn behind the nonselected wales. US. Patent No. 1,969,853 discloses a machine having a single yarn feeding station and a single selector drum for selecting certain of the needles to pass the yarn feeding station at a high level and other needles to pass the yarn feeding station at a low level. The body yarn is fed at a low level and the plating yarn is fed at a high level and those needles whdch pass the yarn feeding station at a high level take and knit both yarns While those needles which pass the yarn feeding station at a low level take and knit the body yarn only.

It is also well known to knit patterns in hosiery by knittin" a body yarn in every Wale and to selectively knit two pattern yarns in selected wales while floating the pattern yarns behind the non-selected Wales. US. Patent No. 1,974,473 discloses a machine having a single yarn feeding station and a single selector drum for selecting the needles to pass the yarn feeding station at high, medium or low levels. At the single feeding station, the body yarn is fed at a low level, one of the plating yarns is fed at a medium level and the other plating yarn is fed at a high level so that the needles take and knit the yarns in accordance with the level at which they pass the yarn feeding station.

The number of plate and float patterns which can be knit by the machines disclosed in the above patents is limited because only two plating yarns may be knit with the body yarn. Also, when three yarns are fed at different levels, the needles which are raised to the medium level take and knit one plating yarn and the body yarn while the needles which are raised to the highest level take and knit the first and second plating yarns in addition to the body yarn. Thus, in the plate and float patterns knit on the machine disclosed in Patent No. 1,974,473, some stitch loops in the pattern area are formed of three yarns knit in plated relationship while other stitch loops are formed of two yarns knit in plated relationship and the stitch loops in the body portion of the fabric are formed of the single body yarn.

With the foregoing in mind, it is a primary object of the present invention to provide an improved circular knitting machine of the type adapted to knit plate and float patterns which machine includes means to selectively feed and knit three plating pattern yarns and a body yarn during the knitting of a single course whereby a wide range of plate and float patterns may be knit.

it is another object of the present invention to provide an improved knitting machine of the type described which is provided with a main yarn feeding station adapted to feed a body yarn and at least one pattern yarn,

Patented May 4, 965

and a pair of auxiliary yarn feeding stations spaced from the main yarn feeding station and spaced apart from each other, each of the auxiliary feeding stations having means for feeding at least a pair of pattern yarns, thereby providing means for feeding a total of five pattern yarns in addition to the body yarn.

It is a fur her object of the present invention to provide an improved knitting machine of the type described wherein selector means, including a rotatable selector drum, is provided in advance of each of the three yarn feeding stations whereby certain needles may be selected to take and knit the pattern yarns fed at each of the yarn feeding stations.

It is still another object of the present invention to provide an improved knitting machine of the type described which includes a single control means for at times simultaneously rendering all three of the selector drums inellective to select needles to take the pattern yarns.

It is another object of the present invention to provide an improved knitting machine of the type described which includes a racking drum provided with three rows of cams, each of which controls rotation of corresponding ones of the selector drums positioned adjacent each of the yarn feeding stations and a single Control means for at times simultaneously preventing rotation of the selector drums.

it is a further object of the present invention to provide an improved knitting machine of the type described which also includes an elastic yarn feeding station positioned in spaced apart relationship from the pattern yarn feeding stations and the main yarn feeding station and selector means positioned in advance of the elastic yarn feeding station for selecting certain of the needles to take the elastic yarn at the elastic feeding station and in corporate the same in the fabric.

Some of the objects of the invention having been stated, other objects will appear as the description procoeds, when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in Which FIGURE 1 is a front elevation of the central portion of the improved knitting machine with the lower portion of the legs and the upper portion of the yarn support standard broken away;

FIGURE 2 is a side elevation of the central portion of the improved knitting machine, looking at the lefthand side of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary side elevation of the central portion of the improved knitting machine, looking at the right-hand side of FIGURE 1, with some of the parts broken away for purposes of clarity;

FEGURE 4 is a fragmentary rear elevation of the central portion of the machine, looking at the right-hand side of FIGURE 3;

FIGURES 5, 6 and 7 are vertical sectional views taken substantially along the line 55 in FIGURE 4 and illustrating the manner in which the actuating levers are operated by cams on the racking drum;

FIGURE 8 is a fragmentary plan view looking downwardly on the latch ring and sinker cap, being taken substantially along the line 3-8 in FIGURE 1;

FIGURES 9 and 10 are vertical sectional views taken substantially along the line 99 in FIGURE 4 and illustrating the manner in which the actuating levers are operated by cams on the main pattern drum;

FIGURE 11 is a sectional plan view looking downwardly on the upper bed plate and illustrating the arrangement of the needle actuating cams positioned thereon, being taken substantially along line l1ll in FIG- URE 1;

FIGURE 12 is a vertical sectional view taken substantially along the line 1212 in FIGURE 11;

FIGURE 13 is an enlarged fragmentary horizontal sectional view looking downwardly on the lower bed plate, being taken substantially along the line 13--13 in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 14 is an enlarged vertical sectional view through the upper portion of the needle cylinder and upper bed plate, being taken substantially along the line 14-14 in FIGURE 8;

FIGURE 15 is an enlarged vertical sectional view through the knitting machine and illustrating certain of the control means, being taken substantially along line 1515 in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 16 is a perspective view looking inwardly at the upper right-hand portion of FIGURE 15 and illustrating the latching mechanism for the striper drum racking pawl;

FIGURE 17 is a somewhat schematic isometric view of the upper bed plate, illustrating the position of the selector jack push-out cams and illustrating the manner in which their operation is controlled by the cam ring mounted for reciprocation on the upper bed plate;

FIGURE 18 is a view similar to FIGURE 17 but showing the cam ring mounted on the lower bed plate for controlling operation of the racking pawls for the selector drums;

FIGURE 19 is a development of the cams surrounding the needle cylinder and showing the relationship of the yarn feeding stations and needle selecting means as well as the needle cams positioned on the upper bed plate;

FIGURE 20 is a side elevation of a sock having a typical plate and float plattern knit in the leg portion thereof;

FIGURE 21 is an isometric view of a small portion of a course through the pattern area of the sock, encompassing the area enclosed in the dash-dot rectangle indicated at 21 in FIGURE 20 and illustrating the manner in which the various pattern yarns are at times knit in plated relationship with the body yarn and floated therebehind at other times.

Referring to the drawings and particularly to FIG- URES 1 through 4, it will be noted that the knitting machine includes a lower base 20 which is supported on the upper ends of respective front and rear legs 21 and 22. The lower ends of a pair of vertically disposed frame members 23 and 24 are secured in position on the base 20 and their upper ends support a horizontally disposed support plate 25. One side of a lower bed plate 26 is supported on the frame 24 and its opposite side is supported on the upper end of a vertically disposed support bracket 27 (FIGURES 1 and 2), the lower end of which is suitably secured to one side of the base 20. The lower end of a yarn stand support post 28 is secured to the upper surface of the rear portion of the support plate and the upper end thereof supports the yarn packages, tensions and guides, not shown.

An upper bed plate 30 is supported in spaced horizontal relationship above the lower bed plate by equally spaced apart support columns 31 (FIGURE 13). A cylinder 35 having a plurality of slots cut in its outer periphery eX- tencls upwardly from the lower bed plate 26 and through the upper bed plate 30. The lower end of the cylinder 35 is supported in a conventional manner on the upwardly extending sleeve of a driving gear, not shown, which is mounted for rotation in the lower bed plate 26. The cylinder 35 is supported on the upper end of a cylinder raising tube 36 (FIGURE 1), in a conventional manner. The upper portion of the tube 36 is supported for vertical movement in a downwardly depending hub of the lower bed plate 26 and the lower end of the tube 36 is supported for vertical movement in the base 20. Vertical movement of the tube 36 and cylinder 35 controls the length of stitches formed by the needles in the usual manner and vertical movement is imparted thereto in a manner to be later described.

A sinker cap 40 is supported on the upper end of the cylinder 35 and has a sinker bed 40a (FIGURE 14) in which sinkers S are mounted for radial movement to cooperate with the knitting needles N to form stitches, in a conventional manner. The sinker bed 40a rotates with the cylinder 35 and movement of the sinker cap 40 is limited by a pair of adjustment screws 41 (FIGURE 8). The adjustment screws 41 alternately engage opposite sides of a bunter post 42 when the needle cylinder is reciprocated. The lower end of the bunter post 42 is suitably supported on the upper surface of the upper bed plate 30 (FIGURES 1 and 14).

The lower end of a sinker cap hold-down arm 44 is suitable secured to one side of the tube 36 and the upper end of the arm 44 has the outer end of a horizontally disposed hold-down shaft 45 adjustably secured therein (FIGURES 1 and 8). The inner end of the shaft 45 threadably supports an adjustment screw 46 (FIGURE 8), the lower end of which bears against the upper surface of the sinker cap 40. The arm 44 thus acts to tie together the sinker cap 40 and the tube 36 so that the sinker cap 40, cylinder 35 and tube 36 will be maintained in the same relative positions when vertical movement is imparted to the tube 36.

The tube 36, arm 44 and cylinder 35 are normally urged to a lowermost position by a spring 48 (FIGURES l and 2), the upper end of which is connected to the tube 36 and the lower end of which is connected to the lower base 20. The tube 36 and associated parts are raised by an arm 49 which engages a bracket 49a fixed on the tube 36. The manner in which arm 49 is mounted and actuated will be described later.

A latch ring 50 (FIGURES 8 and 14) is pivotally supported at its rear end on the upper end of a support post 51, the lower end of which is suitably secured to the upper surface of the upper bed plate 30. The forward end of the latch ring 50 is supported on the upper end of the bunter post 42 when the latch ring 50 is in its normal horizontally disposed position. The latch ring 50 is provided with a throat opening 52 (FIGURES 8, 14 and 19) in which the forward ends of a plurality of yarn feeding fingers are adapted to be positioned to feed corresponding yarns to selected needles as they pass thereby, in a manner to be later described. The throat opening 52 may be termed a main yarn feeding station.

The machine also includes a knitting station, broadly indicated at in FIGURE 19, which includes a pair of stitch earns 61, 62, a top center cam 63, a bottom center cam 64, and end earns and 66. A pair of narrowing picks 67 and 68 are associated with the respective stitch earns 61 and 62 and operate to raise needles to inactive position during reciprocatory knitting, in a conventional manner. A widening pick 70 is supported in the bunter post 42 (FIGURES 14 and 19) and operates to lower needles to active position during reciprocatory knitting, such as when knitting the gussets of the heel or toe pockets of hosiery, in a conventional and wellknown manner.

The driving mechanism of the knitting machine includes a high speed pulley 75, a slow speed pulley 76 and a fast speed pulley '77 (FIGURE 1) which are supported on a main drive shaft 80 (FIGURES 3 and 15) in a conventional manner. The right-hand end of the main drive shaft 819 (FIGURE 1) is provided with a manual crank handle 82 which may be rotated to impart rotation to the machine manually, if desired. The pulleys 75-77 are adapted to be selectively engaged by an endless belt, not shown, which may be shifted from one to the other of the pulleys by a belt shifter 83 mounted for longitudinal movement adjacent one end of a shaft 84. The shaft 84 is supported in the forward portions of the frame members 23 and 24 and supports the lower end of a clutch fork 85 between the frame members 23 and 24 (FIGURE 1).

A high speed pinion 86 (FIGURES l and 3) is supported on the main drive shaft 8t! and is drivingly connected to the high speed pulley 77. The teeth of the high speed pinion d6 engage the teeth of a high speed gear 87 (FIGURE 3) which is fixed on the outer end of a shaft 88. The shaft is rotatably supported in the frame member 23 and has a drive gear, not shown, fixed on its inner end. The teeth of the gear which is fixed on the inner end of the shaft 38 engage and impart rotary motion to a rotary drive pinion t ll (FIGURE 1), which is supported on the main drive shaft 8t).

The upper end of a link M. is connected in off-center relation to the segment drive gear 39 to impart motion to the connecting link 92, in a conventional manner. The lower end of the link 92 is connected to a segment gear 93 (FlGUfi 15) which is oscillatably supported on a shaft 94, supported in the frame members 23 and The teeth of the gear 93 engage the teeth of a reciprocating pinion 5. The reciprocating pinion 95 is supported on the main drive shaft 843 (FIGURE 15). The inner end of the main drive shaft bit has a bevel gear 5 6 (FIGURE 1) fixedly secured thereto and the upper portion of the gear id engages the outer periphery of the cylinder drive gear, not shown, supported for rotation in the lower bed plate 2'5.

The upper end of the clutch fork $5 engages a longitudinally shiftable clutch 7 (FIGURE 1) which is keyed to the main drive shaft and movable into driving engagement with either the rotary drive pinion 96* or the reciprocating pinion 95 to thereby impart rotary or reciprocatory motion to the cylinder 35', in a conventional manner. In FlGURE l, the clutch fork 85 and clutch f? are positioned to impart rotary motion to the cylinder 35 and the clutch fork 85 is held in this position by a follower 2 5 (FTGURE 1) which is engaged by cams carried on a clutch shipper drum lltll. The clutch shipper drum ldl is rotatably supported on a main pattern shaft 162; which is, in turn, rotatably supported in the frame members 23 and 2d.

Rotational movement is imparted to the clutch shipper drurn Trill by a rack wheel N3 (FIGURE 1) which is racked in a conventional step-by-step manner by a racking pawl, not shown, which is controlled by pattern lugs on a pattern chain TM. The pattern chain 1% is supported on a sprocket wheel 105 which is mounted for rotation on the main pattern shaft 11 32. A chain rack wheel res (FIGURE 1) is connected to the sprocket wheel EltlS and step-by-step rotation is imparted thereto by a conventional racking pawl, not shown, which is operated by the segmental gear @3.

The outer end of the main pattern shaft Elli; has a belt shifter drum tlltl fixedly secured thereto and the outer peripheral edge of the drum tilt is adapted to at times engage a downwardly depending roller ill on the belt shifter 83 to thereby control the driving belt and shift the same back and forth and between the high speed and slow speed pulleys '77 and '76, in a conventional manner. The inner end of the main pattern shaft 132 has a drive gear 112 fixed thereto which drivingly engages an intermediate drive gear lliii (FlGURE 15). The intermediate drive gear M3 is rotatably supported on the frame member 24 and drivingly engages a drive gear 1114 which is secured to the inner end of a main pattern drum 115. The main pattern drum lie" is supported for rotation on the segment gear pivot shaft 94 and the outer end of the shaft 94 is supported in the support bracket 27 (FIG- URE 2). The driving mechanism for rotating and reciprocating the needle cylinder .35 and the other parts heretofore described are conventional parts of a circular hosiery knitting machine, such as the type of knitting machine manufactured by Scott & Williams of Laconia, New Hampshire. It is with a machine of this general type that the present invention is particularly adapted to be associated, however, it is to be understood that Each slot of the cylinder 35 is provided with a vertically movable latch needle N (FIGURE 19), a needle jack NJ and a rocking selector or pattern jack S]. The needles N are generally located above the level of the upper bed plate 3% and include a hook 124- on the upper ends and an operating butt 125 on the lower ends. The needle jacks NJ are generally located in the area of the upper bed plate 3% and are provided with operating butts 126 on their lower ends. The selector jacks S] are located between the lower bed plate 26 and the upper bed plate 3 3 and grovided with upper push-out butts 127, selector butts 123 and a lower jack raising shoulder 12%.

Generally, the improvement comprising the present invention includes the provision of three needle selecting means broadly indicated at A, B and C (FIGURES 13 and 19) and three corresponding yarn feeding stations broadly designated at A, B and C for controlling the feeding of the plating pattern yarns to selected needles. A fourth needle selecting means broadly indicated at D and a corresponding yarn feeding station broadly indicated at D are provided for controlling the feeding of an elastic yarn to selected needles during the knitting of the pattern areas or during the knitting of non-patterned areas of a hose. Novel means for controlling the operation of the needle selecting means is also provided. With the present invention, three plating pattern yarns and an elastic strand may be utilized with a body yarn in a wide variety of ways to knit a wide range of plate and float patterns and as many as four different colors of yarn may be knit in a single course.

The selector means A, B and C are substantially identical and like reference characters will apply to corresponding parts of each selector. Each selector means includes a selector drum 14d (FIGURES 2 and 13) which is mounted for rotation, as at M1, on a support bracket 14-2. The support bracket 142 is fixedly secured to the upper surface of the lower bed plate 26 and supports a plurality of horizontally disposed jack selector fingers 143. The fingers 143 are pivotally supported intermediate their ends on a vertically disposed post 144 and tension springs 1 2-5 normally urge the inner or reading ends of the fingers M3 inwardly toward the cylinder 35 while urging the reading tails 0r butts 146 into engagement with butts on selector bits, not shown, which are supported in the selector drum Mil in a conventional manner.

When the reading tail 146 of any one of the group of selector fingers 14 3 engages a corresponding butt on the selector bit positioned in alinement therewith, the selector finger 143 will be rocked in a clockwise direction and the jack-engaging end thereof will be moved away from the cylinder. On the other hand, when a butt is not provided on the selector bit positioned in alinernent with the selector finger, the spring will urge the jack-engaging end of the corresponding selector finger 143 toward the needle cylinder where it will engage a corresponding butt 128 on certain of the selector jacks S] to rock the lower end inwardly, for purposes to be later described. A vertically disposed adiustable stop post 148 limits the inward and outward movement of the jack-engaging ends of the selector fingers fut-3. The lower end of the stop post 148 is suitably supported for radial adjustment on the upper surface of the lower bed plate 26.

The jaek-engaging ends of the selector fingers 14-3 may be moved away from the needle cylinder 35 simultaneously by means of a selector control post 156 to at times prevent selection thereby. The selector control post 159 is provided with a suitable plate member which is adapted to engage the outermost ends of the selector fingers T43 when the selector control post 15d is rotated in a counterclockwise direction in FIGURE 13. Each of the selector control posts 15%: are supported for oscillation in bearing members secured to the outer periphery of the lower bed plate 26.

The selector control post 150 associated with the selector means A (FIGURE 13) has one end of a lever 151 secured thereto. The other end of the lever 151 is connected to one leg of a bell crank 151:; by a link 1511;. The bell crank 151a is oscillatably supported on a shaft 1516 (FIGURE 11) and its other leg is connected to the upper end of a thrust rod 1510.. The lower end of the thrust rod 151d engages the main pattern drum and suitable cams thereon, not shown, raise the thrust rod 151d to operate the selector control post 150, associated with the selector means A. The manner in which the shaft 1510 is supported will be described later.

The post associated with the selector means B extends beneath the lower bed plate 2 6 and has one end of a lever 152 secured thereto (FIGURE 1). The other end of the lever 152 has the forward end of a control link 153 connected thereto (FIGURE 2) and the rear end of the link 153 is suitably connected to the upper end of a control lever 154. The lever 154 is supported intermediate its ends on a shaft (FIGURE 2), one end of which is supported in the frame member 24 and the other end of which is supported in the support bracket 27. The lower end of the control lever 154. at times engages the main pattern drum 115 and at other times engages cams, not shown, on the main pattern drum.

The selector control post 150 associated with the selector means C (FIGURE 13) extends below the lower bed plate 26 and has one end of an arm 162 (FIGURE 1) fixed thereto. The other end of the arm 162 is suitably connected to the forward end of a link 163. The rear end of the link 163 is suitably connected to the upper end of a control lever 164, the medial portion of which is oscillatably supported on the shaft 84 and the lower end of which is adapted to engage an auxiliary pattern drum 170. The auxiliary pattern drum is fixedly secured on the end of the main pattern shaft 102 and is rotated therewith. The lower end of the lever 164 is at times engaged by suitable cams on the auxiliary pattern drum 170 to impart counterclockwise movement to the selector control post 150 and thereby render all of the selector fingers 143, associated with the selector means C, inoperative.

It will be noted in FIGURES l and 2 that the auxiliary pattern drum 170 also supports suitable cams which engage the forward end of the arm 4-? to control the vertical position of the tube 36 and associated parts. The rear end of the arm 49 is oscillatably supported on the shaft 160 and since the forward end of the arm 49 ex tends forwardly beyond the tube 36, the adjustment screws supported in the front end of the arm 4-9 may be easily adjusted by the operator to vary the length of the stitches formed by the needles.

The selector drums 140 at each of the selector means A, B and C are racked in a step-by-step manner by a racking pawl 171 (FIGURES 13 and 18), the free end of which is adapted to engage racking teeth 172 on the lower peripheral edge of the racking drum 14-9. The other end of the racking pawl 171 is connected intermediate the ends of a link 173. The free end of the racking pawl 171 is normally urged into engagement with the teeth 172 on the drum 141 by a tension spring 174 which is connected at one end to the pawl 171 and the other end of which is connected to the lower surface of the link 173. The inner end of the link 1173 is pivotally connected to the upper surface of the support bracket 142 and the outer end is connected to one end of a control link 175 which is adjustable lengthwise.

Referring to FIGURES 2 and 13, it will be noted that the rearmost end of the control link 175, associated with the selector means A, is connected to the lower end of a lever arm 176, the upper end of which is fixedly secured to one end of a shaft 177. One end of the shaft 177 is mounted for oscillation in a bracket 178 which is, in turn, supported by a bracket 179 suitably secured to the support bracket 27 (FIGURE 2). The other end of the shaft 177 is suported in the upstanding portion of a bearing member 1811 (FIGURE 13) which is secured to the plate 25. The shaft 177 extends through the bearing 8 member 181} and has the upper end of an arm 181 fixed thereto (FIGURES 7 and 13).- The lower end of the lever 18 1 has the forward end of a connecting link 182 secured thereto and the rear end of the link 182 is connected to the upper end of a control lever 183.

The control lever 133 is oscillatably supported intermediate its ends on a shaft 134 (FIGURES 3 and 7) which is fixedly secured at opposite ends in the upper rear portions of the frame members 23 and 24. The lower free end of the lever 133 has a cam roller 185 (FIGURE '7) suitably secured thereto for engagement with cams 186 fixed on a rotating racking drum 187. The racking drum 187 is supported on a shaft 190, one end of which is rotatably supported in the upper rear portion of the frame member 23 and the other end of which is rotatably supported in a bearing member 191 (FIGURE 15) supported by the frame member 24. The shaft has a driving gear fixed thereto which drivingly engages the teeth of the drive gear 87 (FIGURE 3). The drive gear 37 imparts continuous rotation to the gear 192 and the racking drum 187 when the knitting machine is in operation and the racking drum 1 87 makes one quarter of a revolution with each revolution of the needle cylinder 35. It will be noted in FIGURE 7 that there are four cams 136 on the racking drum 187 which engage and reciprocate the lever 183 to thereby impart a racking movement to the racking pawl 17-1 associated with the selector means A with each rotation of the needle cylinder 35. The link 175 is resiliently urged in a rearward direction by a tension spring 175a (FIGURE 2), one end of which is connected to the link 175 and the other end of which is connected to the bracket 17 8.

The right-hand end of the control link 175 (FIGURE 13), associated with the selector means B, is suitably connected to one arm of a bell crank 260 (FIGURE 13) which is oscillatably secured to the upper surface of the plate 25. The other arm of the bell crank 2% has the forward end of a connecting link 2111 suitably connected thereto. The rear end of the link 2111 is suitably connected to the upper end of a lever 202 (FIGURES 6 and 13). The medial portion of the lever 202 is oscillatably supported on the shaft 184 (FIGURE 6) and the lower end thereof is provided with a cam roller 293 which is adapted to at times engage cams 204 carried by the rack ing drum 187 to thereby impart a racking movement to the racking pawl 171 associated with the selector means B with each rotation of the needle cylinder 35. The link 175 is resiliently urged to the eft in FIGURE 1, by a t nsion spring 175b, one end of which is connected to the link 175 and the other end of which is connected to the lower bed plate 26.

The rear end of the control link 175 (FIGURE 13) associated with the selector means C, is suitably connected to one end of a pivot lever 205 which is oscillatably supported intermediate its ends on the upper surface of the plate 25. The opposite end of the pivot lever 265 is connected to the forward end of a connector link 266, the rear end of which is suitably connected to the upper end of a lever 2117 (FIGURE 5). The lever 207 is oscillatably supported intermediate its ends on the shaft 184 and the lower end thereof is provided with a cam roller 2% which is adapted to at times engage cams 209 on the racking drum 137. As the cams 269 on the racking drum 187 engage the cam roller 298 on the lower end of the lever 21b7, reciprocation will be imparted to the racking pawl 171 associated with the selector means C to thereby impart a step in rotation to the corresponding selector drum 149 with each revolution of the needle cylinder 35. The link 175 is urged forwardly, in FIGURE 13, by a tension spring 1750, one end of which is connected to the link 175 and the other end of which is connected to the plate 25.

A cam ring is provided to simultaneously stop the stepby-step rotation of the selector drums 140 associated with the selector means A, B and C The cam ring comprises a selector drum control ring 210 (FIGURE 18), mounted E for annular sliding movement on the periphery of the lower portion of the lower bed plate 26 and cams, to be later described, carried on the ring 211%). Movement is imparted to the ring 2 19 by a link 2 11, the forward end of which is suitably connected to an angle bracket 2 1.2 fiXEd to the ring 2 1% (FTGURES l3 and 18). The rear end of the link 211 is suitably connec ed to the upper end of a control lever 2 13 (FIGURE 2), which is oscillatably supported intermediate its ends on the shaft 169 and its lower end engages the main pattern drum 1'15 and suitable cams carried thereby. The link 2311 is normally urged forwardly by a tension spring 23 1.5, one end of which is connected to the lever 2.13 and the other end of which is connected to the support bracket 2'7, to thereby resiliently urge the ring 2 1% in a counterclockwise direction in FIGUPE 18.

The ring 219 has a pair of cams 217 fixed thereto which are positioned adjacent each of the selector means A and B. A knock-oil plate 218 (FIGURES 13 and 18) is oscillatably secured, as at 219, to the lower surface of the support plate 142, associated with each of the selector means A, B and C. A pin 2% is secured in the lower surface of each of the knock-off plates 21%! associated with the selector means A and B. The pins 22% extend downwardly into the path of the cams 217 when the ring Zlli is moved in a counterclockwise direction in FIGURES l3 and 18. When the cams 217 engage the pins 226, they cause the knock-off plates 2118, associated with the selector means A and B, to move in counterclockwise directions in FIGURES 13 and 18.

In order to make the knock-off plate 228, associated with the selector means C, move with the other plates, the plates 218, associated with the selector means B and C, are connected together by a pair of links 221 and 222 (FIGURES 13 and 18), corresponding ends of which are pivotally connected together and to the outer end of a pivot link 223. The inner end of the pivot link 223 is oscillatably secured to the upper surface of the lower bed plate 26 and the distal ends of the links 221 and 222 are connected to the plates 21%, associated with the respective selector means B and C.

Each of the racking pawls 171 are provided with an adjustment screw 224 which is supported in a pin 225, fined in and extending downwardly from each of the racking pawls 171. The inner end of the adjustment screw 2% is adapted to be engaged by the plate 218 to thereby move the racking pawl 171 out of racking engagement with the teeth 172 of the corresponding selector drum 1 th when the plate 218 is moved in a counterclockwise direction in FEGURE 13.

As the selector cam ring 210 is moved or shifted in a counterclockwise direction in FIGURE 13, the pins 22% will be simultaneously engaged by the cams 217 and move the plates 218, associated with the selector means A and B, in a counterclockwise direction. Movement of the plate 218, associated with the selector means B, will cause like movement to be imparted to the plate 218, associated with the selector means C. Thus, when the cams 217 engage and move the plates 21%, associated with the selector means A and B, outwardly, the racking pawls 71., associated with each of the selector means A, B and C, will be moved out of racking engagement with the teeth on the corresponding selector drums iidti to thereby simultaneously stop the racking movement of each of the selector drums 1149.

In order to insure that the selector jacks S! are at the proper level before they reach the selector fingers 143 at the corresponding selecting means A, B and C, a jack leveling cam 23!) (FIGURE 19) is positioned in advance of each selecting means and supported by the lower bed plate 26. As the cylinder rotates, causing the selector jacks S] to move from right to left in FIGURE 19, their jack raising shoulders 129 engage the upper surface of the leveling cams 230 so that all of the selector jacks S] will be positioned at the proper level in the cylinder as as they approach the corresponding selecting means A, B and C.

Each of the selecting means A, B and C is provided with a selector jack push-out cam 232 (FIGURES l7 and 19) which is suitably supported for radial sliding movement in the lower surface of the upper bed plate 30. The inner ends of the earns 23?. terminate closely adjacent the cylinder 35 and the outer ends extend outwardly beyond the peripheral edge of the upper bed plate as. The jack push-out cams 232 are positioned in advance of each of the groups of selector fingers 143 at the corresponding selecting means A, B and C (FIGURE 19) and at the proper level to engage the upper push-out butts 127 of the leveled selector jacks SJ. When the push-out cams 232 engage the butts 127, the lower ends of the selector jacks S] will be rocked outwardly in their slots in the cylinder 35. The mechanism for moving the push-out cams 232 inwardly will be described later.

The lower ends of all of the selector jacks S3 are rocked outwardly by the cams 232 and their outward movement is limited by guard cams 233 which are supported on the lower bed plate 26 (FIGURE 19). Those selector jacks Si which have butts 123 corresponding to inwardly positioned selector fingers 143, are moved inwardly while the lower ends of the remaining selector jacks 127 remain in outermost position. Selector jack raising earns 2.35 are provided to engage the shoulder 129 of those selector jacks whose lower ends are not pushed inwardly by the selector fingers 143. As the shoulders 12? of the pushed out jacks Sl engage and ride up the pattern jack raise cams associated with the selector means A, B and C, they also raise their corresponding needle jacks N] and needles N, for purposes to be later described.

The yarn feeding stations A, B and C are arranged to feed yarns to certain needles which are selected to be raised by each of the selector means A, B and C. it will be noted in FIGURE 19 that the selecting means A, B and C are each positioned in advance of the corresponding yarn feeding stations A, B and C. In the present instance, the yarn feeding station A includes a pair of yarn feeding fingers 244i and 241 (FIGURE 8), the inner ends of which are provided with respective yarn feeding tubes 24?. and 243. The yarn feeding fingers Zdll and 2 51 are oscillatably supported intermediate their ends on a shaft 2 (FIGURE 8), which is fixed in the upstanding portions of an auxiliary yarn bracket 2 15. The bracket 245 (FIGURE 8) is suitably secured to the upper surface of the latch ring 50 and also supports the yarn feeding station B, to be presently described.

The outer ends of the yarn feeding fingers 2 5i and have one end of respective Bowden wires 24-5 and connected thereto. The Bowden wires 2% and 247 extend downwardly and rearwardly of the machine, their other ends are connected to respective yarn control levers 255i? and 251 (FIGURE 13). The levers 253i and 251 are oscillatably supported intermediate their ends on a shaft 252, one end of which is fixed in a bearing bracket 253 (FIGURE 13), supported on the upper surface of the plate 25, and the other end of which is supported in the support bracket 17% (FIGURE 2). The forward ends of the yarn control levers 25d and 251 are adapted to engage carns 25% and 2510: and a yarn change drum 255 (FiGURE 13). The drum 255 is rotatably supported on a shaft 256 (FIGURE 2), one end of which is suitably supported in the support bracket 2173 and the opposite end of which is supported in the upper rearmost portion of the frame member 24 (FIGURE 15).

The yarn change drum 255 is adapted to be rotated in a step-by-step manner in timed relation to operation of the knitting machine by a rack wheel 255a, secured to the drum 255, and a racking pawl 2535b (FIGURES l5 and 16). The pawl 255% is oscillatably connected to the rear end of an arm 2550, the forward end of which is oscillatahly supported on the shaft 256. The free end of I 1 the pawl 25512 is resiliently urged into engagement with the rack wheel 255a by a spring 256b which is connected at opposite ends to the pawl 25512 and arm 2550 (FIG- URE 16).

Oscillation is imparted to the arm 255C by an adjustable link 2560, the lower end of which is connected intermediate the ends of the arm 255a and the upper end of which is connected to the rear end of an arm 257. The forward end of the arm 257 is fixed on one end of a rocker shaft 258 which is oscillatably supported in the frame members 23 and 24. The other end of the rocker shaft 258 has the upper end of an arm 259 fixed thereto (FIGURES 3 and 4), the lower end of which has a cam follower thereon that is adapted to be engaged by cams 259a fixed on the gear 192.

The cam follower on the lower end of the arm 259 is resiliently urged into engagement with the cams 25% by a tension spring 2591; (FIGURE one end of which is connected to the arm 257 and the other end of which is connected to the frame member 24. The cams 259a on the gear 192 cause the pawl 255b to normally rack the drum 255 a step with each rotation of the cylinder 35. However, latch means, to be later described, is provided to at times prevent operation of the pawl 1255b.

The yarn feeding station 13' includes a pair of yarn feeding fingers 260 and 261 (FIGURE 8). The inner ends of the yarn feed fingers 260 and 261 are provided with respective yarn feeding tubes 262 and 263 and the medial portions of the yarn feeding fingers are oscillatably supported on a shaft 264. The shaft 264 is supported in the upper end of a pair of upstanding portions of the yarn bracket 245. The outer ends of the yarn feed fingers 260 and 261 are suitably connected to one end of respective Bowden wires 267 and 268 (FIGURE 8).

The Bowden wires 267 and 268 extend rearwardly of the machine and their rearmost ends are connected to the rear ends of respective yarn control levers 27%) and 2'71 (FIGURE 13). The levers 270 and 271 are oscillatably supported intermediate their ends on the shaft 252 and their forward ends are adapted to at times engage the yarn control drum 255 and at other times to engage suitable cams 270a and 271a thereon to operate the respective yarn feed fingers 270 and 271.

The shaft 252 has the lower ends of a pair of spaced apart upwardly extending support arms 280 and 281 fixed thereto (FIGURES 4 and 13), the upper ends of which are connected together by a plate 282 which serves as a support for the Bowden wires extending from the yarn feed fingers at the stations A and B to the yarn control levers 259, 251 and 271), 271. The plate 282 also supports the upper ends of tension springs 233 (FIGURE 2), the lower ends of which are connected to the yarn control levers 250, 251 and 270, 271.

A rocker shaft 284 is oscillatably supported in the support arms 2% and 281 (FIGURES 4 and 13), and has the forward end of a control arm 285 fixed intermediate its ends. The rear end of the control arm 285 supports a cross-arm 286 which overlies the rearmost portions of the yarn control levers 2511, 251 and 270, 271. One end of the rocker shaft 284 has the rearmost end of an arm 290 fixed thereto (FIGURE 13) and the forward end of the arm 2911 is connected to the upper end of a control rod 291 which extends downwardly therefrom (FIG- URES 4 and 9).

The lower end of the control rod 291 is secured to the rearmost ends of a lever 292 (FIGURES 4 and 9) which is oscillatably supported intermediate its ends on a stub shaft 293. The stub shaft 293 is supported in a bearing bracket 294, fixed on the frame member 24 (FIG- URE 4). The lever 292 at times engages the main pattern 115 and at other times engages a cam 296 thereon to thereby depress the arm 285 and its cross-arm 286 (FIGURE 13) and simultaneously lower the rearmost ends of the yarn control levers 256, 251 and 270, 271. Lowering of the rear ends of the yarn control levers 2511,

1.2 251 and 271), 271 will prevent operation of the corresponding yarn feed fingers 240, 241 and 260, 261 and hold the same out of yarn feeding position.

The yarn feeding station C includes a pattern yarn feed finger 3116, a body yarn feed finger 301 and a group of other conventional yarn feeding fingers 302 (FIG- URES 8 and 19). Referring to FIGURE 14, it will be noted that the pattern or plating yarn feeding finger 311i) and the body yarn feeding finger 361 are oscillatably sup ported intermediate their ends on a shaft 395 which is, in turn, supported in the upper end of the latch ring support post 51. The inner ends of the yarn feed fingers 300 and 301 are movable into and out of yarn feeding position in the throat opening 52. The plating yarn feeding finger 3190 feeds the plating yarn to the needles at a higher elevation than the body yarn feeding finger 3'31 feeds the body yarn to the needles, for purposes to be later described.

Both of the yarn feeding fingers 300 and 3611 are normally urged to yarn feeding position by respective tension spring 310 and 311 (FIGURE 14). The upper ends of the springs 310 and 311 are suitably secured to a spring perch 311a and the lower ends are suitably secured to the rearrnost or outer ends of the yarn feeding fingers 309, 361. The yarn feeding fingers 300 and 301 are at times raised to inoperative position by respective thrust rods 312 and 313 (FIGURES 13 and 14) which extend downwardly and their lower ends rest upon the upper periphery of the main pattern drum 115. The thrust rods 312 and 313 may be raised to move the corresponding yarn feeding fingers to inoperative position by cams on the main pattern drum engaging the lower ends thereof and they may also be raised by cams, not shown, on the yarn control drum 255 engaging the lower ends of the downwardly depending levers 315 and 316 (FIG- URE 13). The levers 315 and 316 are oscillatably supported at their upper ends on a shaft 320 which is supported at one end in the bracket 178 and its other end is supported in the lower portion of the bearing member 180. The levers 315 and 316 have forwardly extending thrust rod lifting arms secured thereto and the forward ends of which engage notches, not shown, in the corresponding thrust rods 312 and 313 to thereby lift the same when suitable cams on the drum 255 engage the lower ends of corresponding levers 315 and 316.

The conventional fingers 302 are oscillatably supported intermediate their ends on a shaft 325 which is fixed at opposite ends in an upstanding portion of the latch ring 51 (FIGURE 14). The conventional yarn feed fingers 3112 are also adapted to be engaged by the upper ends of thrust rods 317 (FIGURE 13) which may also be operated by cams on the main pattern drum 115 or through levers 318 by cams on the drum 255.

The upper portion of the throat opening 52, at the yarn feeding station C, is at times closed by a gap closer 326 (FIGURE 8) which is mounted for oscillation in the latch ring 51 The forward end of a link 327 is connected to the gap closer 326 and the rear end of the link 327 is suitably connected to the upper end of a bell crank 328. The bell crank 328 is oscillatably supported on a stub shaft 329a carried by the pivot post 51. A forwardly extending leg of the bell crank 328 is engaged by a thrust rod 329 (FIGURE 13) which extends downwardly and its lower end engages the main pattern drum 115. Suitable cams, not shown, are provided on the main pattern drpm 115 to operate the gap closer 326 in a conventional mahner during reciprocatory knitting of the heel and toe pockets.

Referring to FIGURES 8 and 14, a dial plate 339 is secured to the lower end of a support post 331 to suspend the dial plate 330 inside of the needle circle. The upper end of the support post 331 is fixed in the rear portion of an arm 332, the forward end of which is suitably secured to the forward upper surface of the latch ring 50. The dial plate 330 supports a body and plating yarn cutter broadly indicated at 333 (FIGURE 8) which includes a fixed blade 333a, a movable blade 33% and a clamp arm 3330 which extends over the blades 333a and 33% and engages the upper surface of a yarn clamping member 334-.

One end of the clamping member 334 is suitably secured to the upper surface of the dial plate33il and the other end is bent upwardly so that yarns which are moved to inactive position will be guided therebeneath as they extend across the upper surface of the dial plate 330. The dial plate 339 (FIGURE 8) has a groove 335 out adjacent the cutter 333 and a guide Wire 3356 is secured to the dial plate 339 to guide the inactive yarns through the groove 33:3 and across the cutter 333. As the inactive yarns from the yarn feeding stations are guided across the dial plate 336 they engage an upstanding pin 337 secured in the dial plate 33% The movable blade 33312 of the cutter 333 is oscillatabiy supported intermediate its ends and has a tail portion extending beneath the arm 332 (FIGURE 14). The lower end of an operating link 338 is suitably connected to the tail portion of the movable blade 33312 and the upper end of the link 3338 is suitably connected to the forward end of an operating lever 339. The lever 339 is oscillatably supported intermediate its ends on a stub shaft 339a carried by the latch ring 50. The rearmost end of the lever 33 9 is engaged by the upper end of a thrust rod 346, the lower end of which engages the main pattern drum I15. Suitable cams on the main pattern drum raise and lower the thrust rod 34% during the knitting of the plain portions of a hose to actuate the cutter 333. During the knitting of the plate and float areas of the hose, the cutter 333 is operated with each rotation of the needle cylinder 35 by means of the racking drum 187.

During the pattern area of the hose, the control lever 339 is actuated by a bell crank 34-5 (FIGURE 8) which is oscillatably supported on the stub shaft 33%. The vertical leg of the bell crank 345 is connected to the control lever 33% by a pin 3% and the bell crank 345 and control lever 33% are both urged in a counterclockwise direction in FIGURE 14 by a tension spring 347. One end of the spring 3 5 7 is connected to the pin 34 6 and the other end is connected to the latch ring Sti. The rearwardly extending leg of the bell crank 345 is adapted to be engaged by a roller on the upper forward end of a lever 35h (FIGURES 3, 8 and 12). The lever 35% is oscillatably supported intermediate its ends on a shaft 351 and the rear end of the lever 35% is suitably connected to the upper end of a control link 352. One end of the shaft 351 is fixed in the upper end of an upstanding shaft support bracket 353 secured to the plate 25 and the other end of the shaft 351 is fixed in a bracket 354 (FIGURE 8) supported on the pivot post 51.

The control link 352 extends downwardly from the lever 35% (FIGURE 12) and the lower end is connected to the rear portion of a lever 355'. The forward end of the lever 355 is fixed to one end of a shaft 360 which is mounted for rotation and longitudinal movement in the frame members 23 and 24 (FIGURES 3, 5, l2 and 13). TL: shaft 36% is urged to the right in FIGURE 13 by a compression spring 361 which surrounds the shaft Edit and one end bears against the outside face of the frame member 23 and the other end bears against a collar 362 fixed on the shaft are. A lever arm 365 (FIGURES 5 and I3) is fixedly secured intermediate the ends of the shaft 36% and its rearmost end is adapted to engage the racking drum 187. When the shaft 36% is urged to its right-hand position, as shown in FIGURE 13, by the compression spring 361, the lever 365 is positioned out of alinement with cams 366 carried by the racking drum 187 (FIGURE 5) so that the reading end of the lever 365 merely rides on the outer periphery of the drum 137 and no movement is imparted to the shaft 360.

lituring knitting of the pattern area of the hose,

shaft 36d is shifted or moved to the left in FIGURE 13 t dby a bell crank 37d which is oscillatably secured to the lower surface of the plate 25, as at 371i. One leg of the bell crank 37% engages the outermost end of the shaft sec and the other leg is connected to one end of a Bowden wire 373. The Bowden wire 373 extends around the machine and the other end is connected to the rear end of a lever 37 (FIGURE 13). The medial portion of the lever 374- is oscillatably supported on the shaft 252 and the forward end is controlled by suitable cams 375 carried by the drum 255.

When the shaft 360 is shifted to the left in FIGURE 13, the lever 365 will be actuated by the cams 366 to reciprocate the shaft see and thereby impart movement to the levers 355 and 359 (FIGURE 12). Reciprocation of the lever 35% will cause movement to be imparted to the cutter control lever 339 (FIGURE 14) and to the cutter 333. It will be noted in FIGURE 5 that there are eight cam 3-55 on the drum so that the cutter 333 will be operated two times during each rotation of the cylinder 35. However, other cams could be added to the drum I237 so that the cutter would operate four times during each rotation of the cylinder 35, if desired.

Referring to FIGURE 8, it will be noted that a yarn feed finger 33% is oscillatably supported on an upstanding post 381, the lower end of which is fixed in the upper bed plate The yarn feed finger 336i is adapted to feed an elastic yarn E to the needles when it is swung in a counterclockwise direction in FIGURE 8. When the finger Still is swung to active position, its yarn feeding end is positioned between the latch ring 5t) and sinker cap 40 and closely adjacent the needles N. The yarn feed finger Still is swung into and out of active position by a link 3 82, one end of which is connected to the finger 33d and the other end of which is connected to one leg of a bell crank The bell crank 383 is oscillatably supported on the shaft and its other leg is connected to the upper end of a thrust rod 38d (FIGURE 2). The lower end of the thrust rod 384 extends down to the main pattern drum Suitable cams, not shown, are provided on the main pattern drum I15 to operate the thrust rod and move the elastic yarn feeding finger 383 into feeding position when it is desired to incorporate an elastic strand in the knit hose. The elastic yarn E is usually incorporated in the top or cuff of the hose, however, it may also be incorporated in the plate and float pattern area, if desired.

The elastic yarn feeding finger 38d constitutes a yarn feeding station D (FIGURE 19) which is positioned between the main yarn feeding station C and the auxiliary yarn feeding station A. Certain of the needles N may be selected to take the elastic yarn E from the yarn feeding at the yarn feeding station D by selector means, broadly indicated at D in FIGURES 13 and 19. It will be noted in FEGURE 19 that the selector means I) is positioned between the selector means C and the selector means A and in advance of the yarn feeding sta tion D.

The selector means D includes three selector fingers 335 which are oscillatably supported as at 336 (FIGURE 13) on the lower bed plate 36. The rearmost ends of the selector fingers 385 have one end of links 387 connected thereto and the other end of which is connected to the forward legs of bell cranks The bell cranks 388 are oscillatably supported on a post 385 which is fixed in the plate 25 and the other legs of the bell crank 388 have one end of Bowden wires 352 i) connected thereto. The Bowden wires 39% extend through the plate 25 and downwardly to the rear of the machine where their lower ends are connected to the rear ends of levers 39%, 39912 and sasc (FIGURES 2, 9 and 1G). The levers 39AM, 3%12, 39hr: are oscillatably supported intermediate their ends on the shaft 293 and their reading ends at times engage suitable cams on the main pattern drum to move the inner ends of the selector fingers 335 away from the cylinder and to the inactive position shown in FIG- 15 URE 13. When the levers move off of the cams 391, tension springs 392 (FIGURE 13) rotate the bell cranks 388 in a clockwise direction to move the inner ends of corresponding selector fingers 385 inwardly toward the cylinder 35 and to an active position.

The selector means D (FIGURE 19) also includes a selector jack raising cam 393 and a guard cam 394 which are both supported on the lower bed plate 26 and a jack push-out cam lever 395. The inner end of the push-out lever 395 is adapted to engage the butts 127 on the selector jacks SJ and is oscillatably supported intermediate its ends on the lower surface of the upper bed plate 39, as at 396 (FIGURE 17). The outer end of the push-out lever 395 has one end of a Bowden wire 397 connected thereto and the other end of which is connected to the rearwardly extending portion of a lever 398 (FIGURE 3). The lower end of the lever 398 is oscillatably supported on a shaft 399 and the upper end engages the main pattern drum 115 and suitable cams, not shown, carried thereby.

When a cam on the main pattern drum 115 engages the lever 398, the Bowden wire 397 will oscillate the pushout lever 395 in a counterclockwise direction (FIGURE 17) so that the inner end thereof will engage the butts 127 on the selector jacks SI and rock the lower ends outwardly. Those selector jack which are not again rocked inwardly by the selector fingers 385 will ride up the jack raise cam 393 so that their needles N will be raised high enough to pick up the elastic yarn E.

An elastic yarn clamp cutter 400' (FIGURE 8) is fixedly secured to the latch ring 50 and includes a clamping blade 400a, a movable cutter blade 46911 and a fixed cutting blade 4ti0c. The blades extend inwardly beneath the latch ring 50 and the movable cutting blade 40% has an outwardly extending tail which is engaged by the forked lower end of a lever 401. The lever 401 is oscillatably supported intermediate its ends on a post 492 on the latch ring 50 and the upper end of the lever 401 has the forward end of a Bowden wire 403 connected thereto. The other end of the Bowden wire 403 is connected to a control lever, not shown, which is adapted to engage the main pattern drum 115 and suitable cams thereon which operate to actuate the elastic yarn cutter 400 to cut and clamp the elastic yarn B when the feed finger 380 is moved to inactive position.

Referring to FIGURES l1 and 19, it will be noted that suitable cams are supported on the upper bed plate 30 for engagement with the butts 125 of the needles N, for purposes to be later described. A fixed needle leveling earn 420 and a radially movable switch cam 421 (FIG- URE 19) are supported by a cam block 422 which is in turn fixed on the upper surface of the upper bed plate 30 (FIGURE 11). The switch cam 421 is utilized during the knitting of the heel and toe pockets of the hose and raises needles up out of active position so that they travel above the center stitch cam 63. The switch cam 421 is zltctuated by the forward end of a lever 425 (FIGURE The forward end of the lever 425 engages the outer end of the radially movable switch cam 421 and the rear end of the lever 425 is connected to one end of a link 426 while the medial portion of the lever 425 is oscillatably secured to the upper bed plate 30, as at 425a. The other end of the link 426 is connected to one leg of a bell crank 427 which is oscillatably supported on the bracket 353, as at 427a (FIGURE 11). The other leg of the bell crank 427 is engaged by the upstanding leg of a bell crank 428, which is oscillatably supported on the shaft 1510. The bell crank 428 has a rearwardly extending leg which is connected to the upper end of a thrust rod 429. The lower end of the thrust rod 429 engages the main pattern drum 115 and is operated by suitable cams, not shown, which act to move the needle cam 421 inwardly to switch the needles to inactive position. The shaft 1510 is supported at one end in the bracket 353 and its 16 other end is supported in a bearing member 430 (FIGURE 11) which is secured to the lower surface of the upper bed plate 30 and extends rearwardly therefrom.

A radially movable needle lowering cam .35 (FIGURE 19) is supported for sliding movement in a cam block 436 (FIGURE 11) which is in turn fixed on the upper surface of the upper bed plate 30. The needle lowering earn 435 is at times moved inwardly, by the forward end of a lever 440, to engage and lower the butts 125 of the needles N. The lever 440 is oscillatably supported intermediate its ends, as at 441, on a plate 442 which is in turn fixed to the upper surface of the upper bed plate 30. The rear end of the lever arm 440 is connected to the front end of a link 444, the rear end of which is connected to the lower end of the vertical leg of a bell crank 445 (FIGURE 8). The bell crank 445 is oscillatably supported on the shaft 351 and has a rearwardly extending leg which is connected to the upper end of a thrust rod 446. The thrust rod 446 extends down to the main pattern drum and is operated by suitable cams, not shown, thereon.

A needle leveling cam 450 (FIGURE 19) is mounted for radial movement in a cam block 451 (FIGURE 11) which is in turn fixed on the upper surface of the upper bed plate 30. The outer end of the cam 450 has a downwardly depending member 4-52 (FIGURE 11) which engages the lever 425. Resilient means, not shown, is provided in the cam block 451 for normally urging the cam 450 to its innermost operative position and when the lever 425 is moved in a clockwise direction in FIGURE 11, the cam 450 will be moved outwardly to inoperative position.

The right-hand stitch cam 61 is supported on a bracket for radial movement into and out of operative position and during the knitting of the plate and float pattern area, the stitch cam 61 is moved outwardly to the dotted line position shown in FIGURE 19. The forward end of a link 454 (FIGURE 11) is connected to the bracket supporting the stitch cam 61 and the rear end of the link 454 is connected to the lower end of a downwardly extending leg of a bell crank 455 (FIGURES 8 and 14). The bell crank 455 is oscillatably supported on the shaft 351 and has a rearwardly extending leg which is connected to the upper end of a thrust rod 456. The thrust rod 456 extends down to the main pattern drum 115 and is controlled by suitable cams thereon, not shown.

A movable end cam 459 and a needle lowering cam 460 (FIGURE 19) are mounted for radial movement in a cam block 461 (FIGURE 11) which is secured on the upper surface of the upper bed plate 30. The movable end cam 459 is moved to inoperative position and the cam 460 is moved to operative position when the elastic yarn E is being fed to the needles selected by the selector means D. However, when the plate and float pattern area is being knit, without elastic yarn incorporated therein, the end cam 459 is in operative position and the cam 460 is in inoperative position, as shown in FIGURE 19.

The cams 459 and 460 are both resiliently urged inwardly to operative position by springs, not shown, in the cam block 461 and a lever 452 (FIGURE 11) alternately moves these cams to an outer inoperative position. The lever 462 is oscillatably supported intermediate its ends on the cam block 461 and opposite ends of the lever 462 engage downwardly depending members on the outer ends of the cams 459 and 460. One end of a lever 463 engages the outer end of the cam 459 and the medial portion thereof is oscillatably supported on the post 381. The rear end of the lever 463 is connected to the front end of a link 464, the rear end of which is connected to the downwardly extending leg of a bell crank 465 (FIGURE 8). The bell crank 465 is oscillatably supported on the stub shaft 329a and has a rearwardly extending leg which is connected to the upper end of a thrust rod 466. The thrust rod 466 extends downwardly to the main pattern drum 115 and is controlled by suitable cams thereon, not 

1. IN A CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINE FOR KNITTING PLATE AND FLOAT PATTENED FABRICS FORMED OF A BODY YARN AND A PLURALITY OF PATTERN YARNS, AND MACHINE HAVING A ROTATING NEEDLE CYLINDER, NEEDLES CARRIED BY SAID CYLINDER FOR VERTICAL INDEPENDENT MOVEMENT THEREIN, SELECTOR JACKS INDIVIDUALLY ASSOCIATED WITH SAID NEEDLES AND POSITIONED THEREBENEATH IN SAID CYLINDER, AND A CIRCULAR BED PLATE SURROUNDING SAID CYLINDER, THE COMBINATION THEREWITH OF THREE YARN FEEDING STATIONS SPACED CIRCUMFERENTIALLY AROUND THE CYLINDER AND IN SPACED APART RELATIONSHIP TO EACH OTHER A ROTATABLE SELECTOR DRUM SUPPORTED ON SAID BED PLATE AND POSITIONED IN ADVANCE OF EACH SAID YARN FEEDING STATIONS, SAID SELECTOR DRUMS BEING OPERATIVE TO SELECT CERTAIN OF SAID SELECTOR JACKS TO BE RAISED TO THEREBY RAISE CORRESPONDING NEEDLES TO A SUFFICIENT LEVEL TO RECEIVE YARN AT SAID YARN FEEDING STATIONS, A RACKING PAWL ASSOCIATED WITH EACH OF SAID SELECTOR DRUMS AND ADAPTED TO NORMALLY IMPART STEP-BY-STEP MOVEMENT TO SAID SELECTOR DRUMS, A RING MOUNTED FOR ANNULAR SLIDING MOVEMENT ON THE OUTER PERIPHERY OF SAID BED PLATE, CAMS CARRIED BY SAID RING, MEANS ENGAGEABLE BY SAID CAMS FOR RENDERING TWO OF SAID RACKING INOPERATIVE TO MOVE CORRESPONDING SELECTOR DRUMS, AND MEANS FOR RENDERING THE 